Jane Evans Bonacci The Heritage Cook

WELCOME to The Heritage Cook ... we're sharing traditions, one recipe at a time! I learned to cook at my grandmother’s side, watching her create nourishing meals for the family. I love to share the lessons she taught me. I am a recipe editor, developer and tester, a food writer, passionate cook, and baker. Subscribe to the blog and never miss a recipe or the fun of Chocolate Mondays! Creating, exploring, sharing, nurturing ... that is what I love about cooking!

Some comments made by readers …

... Woo hoo! Mondays just got a whole lot better now that you’re featuring chocolate in some shape or form each week. It’s my favorite food group, after all...

... We prepared the “Fathers Day Brunch” on Sunday. It was a big hit! I was amazed at the light and very tasty pancakes. It looks like your recipes are going to keep me busy!...

... The [Chocolate Crinkle] cookies look beautiful. First bite brings a sensational experience to the pallet. Slightly crunchy exterior at first, then the moist interior with a burst of chocolate flavor through out my mouth. The flavors lingers long enough that I feel I must have another bite to experience it all again...

... This chicken is delicious. So tender, even the breast meat, with a hint of onion and lemon. Definitely a keeper...

... Just had my first bite and WOW! I think this is the best homemade brownie i have ever tasted. Great chocolate flavor with the right amount of sweetness. And the fudgy consistency is perfect! ...

... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the glossary. I’ve “heard” these terms but never have I seen them in print. Keep ‘em coming! ...

... I made this pasta sauce this past weekend...what can I say, it was delicious! I added fresh zuchinni and eggplant for a vegetarian style meal like you suggested. Topping the pasta dish with fresh basil from my "Swiss" herb garden made the sauce perfect! ...

Favorite Publications

Happy Chocolate Monday! Today’s treat is Chocolate Biscotti! Biscotti (biss-koh-tee) (the plural of biscotto) is an Italian twice-baked cookie. Extra crunchy, they are perfect for dunking in coffee or espresso. You form the dough into logs and bake them most of the way through. Then take them out of the oven, cool slightly, slice and finish baking. The first time I tried to make biscotti, I didn’t trust the recipe and left the cookies in too long on the first bake. When I tried to slice them, they crumbled. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

This week’s Chocolate Monday recipe is a fun Italian treat. When I married my Italian husband, I had never made this dessert and I knew I had to learn how. Now it is one of my favorites. Not nearly as challenging as I thought it would be, you will discover how easy it is to make. The name is usually mispronounced, but after Monday, you’ll know the right way to say it, LOL!

When The Bakers’ Dozen, San Francisco organization was compiling their cookbook, I was lucky enough to be a tester for the Coconut Macaroon cookies. It was my first professional recipe testing and I was thrilled. I have tested hundreds of recipes since then, but like anything else in life, your first is the most special! The use of unsweetened coconut is the real secret – the cookies are dryer, cook more evenly, and aren’t cloyingly sweet. They are by far the best macaroons I’ve ever had and I’m certain they will become a family favorite for you too.

Cupcakes seem like the perfect dessert. Small and easily transported, they work for children’s birthday parties or wedding receptions and they have built-in portion control! Cupcake shops are popping up everywhere, and I am thrilled. I love stopping in and instead of being limited to just one flavor, I can pick several. If I’m having friends over for dinner, I can offer them an assortment of desserts. I like variety and cupcakes are perfect for that! Continue reading →

Most people I know are scared of making pie. But when you think of the 4th of July desserts, what is more all-American than Apple Pie! Well, I’ve got the answer you’ve been waiting for … Apple Crisp! You shouldn’t have to worry about dessert when you’ve got a bunch of people coming over. A crisp is a fruit dessert with a sweet crumbled topping, similar to a streusel. It’s an apple pie without a crust!

One of the tricks to a perfect apple pie (or any apple dessert for that matter) is a blend of apples. Some turn mushy when you bake them and others hold their shape. A mixture of the two gives you the best filling with great flavor and texture. Unlike a pie, this dessert holds up well and can be baked ahead. Equally good at room temperature as it is hot, this is good to take to parties or on picnics.

Next weekend is the Fourth of July, one of my favorite holidays. I can spend weeks figuring out what I want to serve at a party. Books will be scattered all over the living room and I comb through them looking for things I can make ahead, that are somewhat traditional, and yet have an interesting twist. This week I’ll be sharing some of my favorites for entertaining on hot days, especially when there are fireworks in the evening! What are some of your favorites to take on picnics or to summer parties?

Today’s recipe is for Ice Cream Sandwiches, a favorite from childhood, yet with a change from the normal vanilla ice cream. You can use any ice cream or cookie flavor that you like, I’m sharing recipes for mint chip ice cream and chocolate cookies. You could use chocolate chip cookies and fill them with chocolate ice cream, or orange cookies with vanilla, or sugar cookies with strawberry. The combinations are nearly endless. What sounds fun to you?

British foods can be somewhat boring. They tend to be bland without a lot of seasoning. To complete our tribute to Wimbledon and England, I thought I would take the very traditional British Shepherd’s Pie and see if I couldn’t spice it up a bit, maybe by putting an American spin on it. I love fun challenges like this!

Shepherd’s Pie, a dish made with roasted meats and vegetables covered with a mashed potato crust, was originally developed to utilize leftovers. Cube the leftover meat and combine with cooked vegetables, add a little beef gravy and voilà, you have the filling! Use the leftover mashed potatoes to create a topping, pop it under the broiler until golden, and you have a filling delicious meal. Finding ways to reinvigorate leftovers is a mother’s chore and a recipe developers delight.